There were times when he was in Europe that James Nunnally would be at practice listening to his coach lay into him and the rest of the team, preaching the importance of defense at a volume that could be heard across Istanbul.

Little did he know that it was preparing him for what he will experience in his first true chance in the NBA.

Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau has a reputation for being demanding and vocal. Truth be told, his volatile in-game demeanor is a contrast to his presence in practice, when film study and attention to detail are conducted at a slightly lower decibel level.

Either way, Zeljko Obradović’s drill-sergeant routine helped get Nunnally ready for this moment. When he thought back to what it took to endure that coaching approach, and a personality that his agent Bill Neff likened to Bob Knight, Nunnally said it just took “guts.”

He stopped into Minneapolis this week to sign his contract, take his physical and have some...